The Effects of a Fitness and Wellness Course on Physical Activity Behavior and Intentions: Comparing In-Person Learning to Remote Learning

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if the modality of content delivery for a university fitness and wellness course, in-person vs. remote, would impact changes in physical activity behavior and intentions across the semester. Methods: Two cohorts of students enrolled in a university fitness and wellness course provided information about their physical activity behaviors and physical activity intentions at three time points throughout the semester. Of the 42 participants, 25 completed the course in-person and 17 completed the course online. Results: The only physical activity behavior that was significantly different between the cohorts was walking. Students who completed the course on-campus walked significantly more than those who were remote (p = .05); however, there were not significant changes across the semester. The remote cohort reported significantly greater intentions to be physically active (p = .02), as well as, more positive attitudes towards exercise (p = .001). Lastly, perceived opportunity to engage in physical activity significantly decreased from Week 1 to Week 13 (p = .03) despite a significant increase in perceived resources from Week 1 to Week 13 (p = .05). Conclusion: In-person course delivery provides an environment for students to engage in more walking during the semester compared to remote learning. Despite perceived resources becoming more apparent or abundant near the final weeks of a fitness and wellness course, the natural increase in coursework across all classes towards the end of the semester may reduce students’ perceived opportunity to engage in physical activity.